Ship&#39;s-bell clock.



No. 650,979. Patented June 5, I900. W. K. MENNS.

SHIPS BELL CLOCK.

(Application filed Mar. 8, 1900.)

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet l.

No. 650,979. Patented June 5, I900. w. K. menus.

SHIPS BELL CLOCK.

(Applicationfiled Mar. 8, 1900.; 7 (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

a can;

no. 650,979. Patented June 5, I900. w. K. MENNS.

SHlPS BELL BLOCK. (Application filed Mar. 6, 1900.; (No Model.) 4Sheets-Sheet a.

0- 0 H 57 e n u I d Du t n Du t a P S N N E M K W 3 7 7 0 5 6 0 N SHIPSBELL CLOCK.

Application filed Mar. 8, 1900.1

4Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

VIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII WITHEEEEE E.A.& AM

1H: NORRIS Prrzas c0. pno'rouwou WASHINGTON. n. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IVALTER K. MENN S, OF CHELSEA, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES II.PEARSON, OF BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHIPS-BELL CLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming art of Letters me... No. 650,979, dated June 5,1900.

Application filed March 8, 1900.

To all whom, it may concern.- 7

Be it known that I, WALTER K. MENNS, a subject of the Queen of GreatBritain, residing at No. 88 Shurtleff street, Chelsea, in the 5 countyof Suffolk and State of Massachusetts,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clocks, of whichthe following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is aspecification.

This inventionin clocks relates to the mechanism for audibly indicatingthe time, and is adapted to imitate the strokes of a ships bell insteadof following the common manner of indicating time ashore.

It is customary in keeping time at sea to divide the day into periods offour hours, called watches, each having a particular designation, asmiddle-watch, beginning at midnight, or the dog-watches, beginning atfour oclock in the afternoon, and the watches are divided into half-hourspaces. At the end of each half-hour the ships bell is sounded thenumber of half-hours completed of that watch, and it is usual to groupthe strokes in pairs. The preferred constructions for this purpose nowin use have two hammers, which are actuated, first one and then theother, in I quick succession to sound a pair of strokes on the gong. Oneof these hammers sounds the gong once at every pair or portion of a pairof strokes-that is, this hammer sounds its full number of strokes atevery striking interval. The other hammer is actuated to :strike thegong at every striking interval to complete the pairs of strokes begunby the .other hammer and will do so, except at the last stroke of thelast pair of strokes occurring ata half-hour, which on shipboard shouldbe indicated by an odd number of strokes. The second hammer in this caseafter being released to strike is prevented from so doing by someinterrupting mechanism. Of course this duplication of the mechanismmakes a needlessly complicated and cumbersome structure. The redundantparts add to the cost of manufacture and render the mechanism moredifficult to keep in order. I have remedied these objections; and tothis end my invention'consists in a striking mechan ism having only onehammer, arranged to be actuated in groups of double strokes to sound thebell at each full hour; but at each halfhour, although the hammer isactuated in under tension.

Serial No. 7,877. (No model.)

' as usual, a rack, gathering-pallet, and rackdog, the rack beingcontrolled by a four-step snail timed to revolve once in four hours. Ateach full hour or even number of strokes the striking mechanism will actto operate the hammer as controlled by the snail and thespecially-arranged groups of double pins on:{ the striking-wheel, aswill be readily under- I stood by those familiar with clocks who areaccustomed to applying suggested improvements thereto. At the half-hoursor odd numbers of strokes a pin moving in unison with the minute-handtends to lift the normallydepressed extremity of a rocker, but isprevented from so doing by a detent until a pin on the rack removes thedetent to permit the end of the rocker to pass just before the last blowof the hammer is to occur. This moves the opposite extremity of therocker into the path of a pin connected with the hammershaft, and as thehammer starts on this stroke the said pin strikes the extremity of therocker and holds the hammer against the tension of its spring, so itwill not sound the bell.

The drawings show, in Figure 1, the face of a clock; Fig. 2, part of thestriking mechanism in position of Fig. 1 with the train ready to start;Fig. 3, a like view with the hammer intercepted; Fig. 4, a View of themechanism in normal position; Fig. 5, a view of the striking-train inposition of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a sketch of the principal pieces as inFig. 1. Fig. 7 is a sectionof the case, showing relation of movement,hammer, and gong.

The frame of the movement consists of three plates separated by studsand secured to each other by screws, the rear plate 7 carrying thestriking-train and associated parts. The frame of the movement isattached in :05 any usual manner to a disk 8, which serves supports thehammer-head 30.

to support the movement in the case and to which the dial 9 is secured.

The striking-train connected with the plate 7 is actuated by thelifting-block 10, mounted on the center arbor 11, as the pins 12 or 13comein contact with the spring-blade 14, connected with the warn-lever15, thus lifting the locking-lever 16 to permit the train to move tillchecked by the pin 17 on the warnwheel coming against the warn-lever tostop the train in position to begin a round on the gong. Extendingparallel with the shaft 18 of the hammer is a spring 19, one end ofwhich is fastened to the'front plate of the movement and the otherpresses against a pin 20 in the shaft 18 and tends to throw the hammertoward the gong 5. Another pin 21, extending from the hammer-shaft,rests in the path of the pairs of pins 22, inserted in thestriking-wheel 23 of the train, the arrangement being such that twoblows may be struck, then an interval of rest, followed by two blows andanother interval of rest, till the striking wheel stops, when thelocking-lever 16 drops into the path of and comes in contact with thepin 25 on the third wheel 26 of the striking-train. From the middleplate of the movement a pin 27 projects into the path of the pin 21 tolimit the motion of the hammer, the elasticity of the connection of thehammer with its hub allowing it to strike the gong and then rebound, soas not to interrupt the vibrations thereof.

Outside of the plate 7 the hammer-hub 28 is secured to the shaft 18, andthe wire 29, extending parallel with the plate, adjustably From the hub28 a pin 32 extends for a purpose that will be explained. Dog 34,attached to the same shaft as the locking-lever 16, and gatheringpalletact on the rack 35, which is under spring tension, in the usual manner,and the projection 36 from the rack, adapted to come in contact with thesnail 37, determines the travel of the rack, as is common. The snail,each step of which controls the strokes of the hammer for one hour, ortwo striking intervals, is moved at one-fourth the speed of theminute-hand by means of the snail-pinion 38 on the center arbor 11,meshing with the intermediate gear 39, and the connected pinion 40meshing with the gear 41., to which the snail is attached.

The mechanism so far described would enable the hammer to strike doubleblows with an interval of rest between the double blows each half-hon r.To strike the gong odd blows, I intercept the last-attempted blow of thehammer by means of a rocker pivoted to the plate at 42, one portion 43of which is normally restrained in its motion in one direction by adetent pivoted at 44 to the plate 7 As the portion 45 overbalances theportion 43 the rocker will normally rest on the pin 46 in the plate 7;but to lift the portion 45 into the path of the pin 32 of the hammerhnbI attach to the rocker a light spring 47,

the hooked extremity 48 of which is positioned over the center of thesnail-pinion 38, having the pin 49 projecting from its inner face, thatis designed at the half-hours to come in contact with the hook 48 tostrain the spring and tend to lift the extremity of the rocker tointercept the pin extending from the hub 28, and to properly positionthe rocker for this purpose the limiting-pin 50 is driveninto the plate7.

Ordinarily the shoulder 51 of the detent, which is so pivoted on theplate 7 that it rests in contact with the end of the rocker, preventsthe spring 47 from lifting the extremity of the rocker; but a pin 52 isinserted in the rack 35, so that as the rack comes to its position ofrest the pin will lift the detent enough to allow the rocker to snap bythe shoulder 51, the projection 53 of the detent preventing excessivemotion and tending by its weight to restore the parts. It may be herenoted that any parts herein described and illustrated as positioned bygravity may be positioned by suitable springs.

Figs. 1, 2, 5, and 6 show the parts as just before five bells of eitherthe first watch at night or of the forenoon Watch. The pin of thelifting-block 10 having come in contact with the spring-blade 14 hasremoved the locking-lever 16 from the stop-pin 25 of the third wheel andallowed the train to move to starting position, with the pin 17 incontact with the end of the warn-lever 15 and the first pin of the pairs22 in the striking-wheel resting under the pin 21, connected to thehammer-shaft 18. Referring to the mechanism on the other side of theplate 7, the dog 34, which normally rests under the end of the rack 35to hold the projection 36 clear of the snail 37, has been lifted, so theprojection 36 may be forced into contact with the snail by the springconnected with the rack to determine the number of strokes of thehammer. As the lifting-block passes from under the blade '14 thewarn-lever falls to release the train,

and the dog 34 falls on the teeth of the rack to prevent retrogressionas it is advanced by the rotation of the gathering-pallet 33 from theposition determined by the step 55 of the snail. As the first pair ofpins on the striking-wheel pass, the hammer is lifted, and thespring19causes it to delivertwoblowsin quick succession, to be followedby a rest till the next pair of pins repeat the blows in like manner,then another rest, and the first pin of the third pair causes its blowto be delivered by the hammer. At the time under considerationthat is,an odd number of strokesthe pi 1149 in the snailpinion 38 will bepositioned so as to press against the hook 48 of the spring 47 and putspressure on the rocker, tending to lift the portion 45. This pressurehas, however, been resisted until just after the odd stroke describedabove by the shoulder 51 of the detent. The last pin of the third pairon the striking-wheel 23 will lift the hammer, compress the spring 19,and free the hammer to deliver another blow; but meanwhile the rack 35has been returned by the gathering-pallet to its normal position, inwhich the pin 52 pushes back the shoulder 51 of the detent from the endof the portion 43 of the rocker, and immediately the spring 47 throws upthe extremity of the portion 45 of the rocker against the pin 50 intothe path of the pin 32 of the hammer-hub and stops the hammer before theblow is delivered, the position of the parts at this time beingillustrated in Fig. 3, the mechanism having delivered five effectiveblows. The snail-pinion continuing its motion carries the pin 49 pastthe hook 48 of the spring 47, so it no longer exerts pressure on therocker; but the other parts remain'as in Fig. 3 for about half an hour,or until the warn-lever again releases the train, and as the hammer islifted by the first of the pins 22 the unsupported rocker falls to itsusual position, resting on the pin 46, and as the end of the portion &3of the rocker passes the shoulder 51 the detent falls until itsprojection 56 comes in contact with the end of the rocker. When the pins22 pass the pin 21, the doublestrokes of the hammer begin, and as therocker remains inactive the entire group governed by the step of thesnail is delivered to indicate that it is now six bells in the watchbeing considered, the parts being at the termination, as indicated inFig. 4, which is the normal position of the parts.

I have described a mechanism capable of automatically sounding the timeat sea by interru ptin g one blow of predetermined couples of strokes ofa single hammer, but do not wish to be limited to this preciseconstruction, as mechanics may readily modify the details withoutdeparting from the principle of the invention, and

I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1.In a clock, mechanism to actuate a single hammer at regular intervalsdouble strokes with intervening rests, combined with means at alternateintervals to render one stroke of the same hammer ineffectual,substantially as described.

2. In a clock, the combination of a striking mechanism having a singlehammer, a striking-wheel provided with pairs of pins arranged to contactwith a pin extending from the hammer-shaft to cause the hammer to makedouble strokes with intervening rests at alternate striking intervals,and means for rendering the hammer ineffectual at predetermined times.

3. In a clock, a single hammer and appliances to actuate the hammer eachhalf-hour double strokes with intervening rests, combined with means atalternate half-hours to prevent the last blow of the last double strokeof the hammer from sounding the gong, substantially as described.

l. In a clock, mechanism to actuate a single hammer double strokes atregular intervals and a projection from the hammer in the path of anormally-inactive rocker, combined with means at alternate intervals toyieldingly tend to render the rocker active to stop the hammer and meansto remove a restrainingdetent from the rocker just before the last blowof the last double stroke of the hammer, substantially as described.

5. In a clock, a single hammer actuated in double strokes at regularintervals, a dog, gathering-pallet, rack and controlling-snail, combinedwith a rocker normally held inactive by a detent and means for removingthe detent to allow the rocker when positioned by devices at alternateintervals to interrupt the last blow of the hammer, substantially asdescribed.

6. In a clock, mechanism to actuate a hammer double strokes at regularintervals and devices to control and feed the rack, combined With arocker and detent, means connected with the rack controlling devicesadapted to operate the rocker and means connected with the rack torelease the detent to allow the rocker to intercept the hammer,substantially as described.

7. In a clock,- devices for starting a train, at regular intervals, astriking-wheel having pins set in pairs, spring-actuated hammer having aprojection, a rack, gathering-pallet, dog and snail, provided withsuitable actuating connections, combined with a rocker nor mally lockedby a detent, a pin on the snailpinion adapted to contact with a springon the rocker at alternate intervals and a pin on the rack adapted as itnears its normal position to contact with the detent to release therocker so it may stop the hammer, substantially as described.

8. In a clock, the combination withaham' mer of a rocker normally heldout of engagement therewith, a detent, a pin on the snailpinion andcoacting spring on the rocker to move the rocker into the path of thehammer and a pin on the rack acting on the detent to release the rockerto stop a stroke of the hammer, substantially as described.

9. In a clock, mechanism to actuate a single hammer to deliver doublestrokes with intervening rests, combined with a rocker, detent andsuitable actuating mechanism therefor,

so the rocker may intercept a blow of the hammer at certain intervals,substantially as described.

10. In a clock, a single hammer actuated in double strokes at regularintervals, combined with a rocker yieldingly positioned by thetime-train and a suitably-controlled detent to permit the rocker atalternate intervals to stop a blow of the hammer, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 3d day ofMarch, A. D. 1900.

WALTER K. MENNS.

WVitnesses:

BEATRICE M. WETMORE, A. O. QRNE.

IIO

